


Midnight Adventure

by 138tech



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: 5k words, Alternate Universe, Angst, Drinking, Flashbacks, Fluff, High School, M/M, Small Towns, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-11 11:34:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20545487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/138tech/pseuds/138tech
Summary: Lee Donghyuck lives in a small town where everybody knows everything about everyone. When new boy Na Jaemin moves to town, everybody jumps at the chance to know him, however he prefers to keep to himself. That is, until he shows up at Donghyucks bedroom window at 2am, coffee cup in hand, asking if Donghyuck would like to go on an adventure.





	Midnight Adventure

Dead leaves flutter across Donghyuck’s driveway. He watches them go, swinging his legs back and forth as he balances himself on his window sill. Donghyuck wonders where the leaves are heading, where they’ll end up. It’s stupid, he thinks, to be jealous of the leaves. But then again the leaves have their ticket out of this stupid town, they can be carried on the wind wherever they please. Unlike Donghyuck. Who’s stuck looking at the same view from his window every night, seeing the same people everyday and worst of all having everyone know his business. That’s another thing Donghyuck envies the leaves for: nobody cares what they get up to.

He sighs as he swings his legs back inside his bedroom, not bothering to close his window as he slips under his covers. The cool breeze brushes over him as he curls up under his bedsheets. His eyes are getting heavy and he can feel himself slipping away.

“Psst. Lee Donghyuck”  
Donghyuck sits up sharply, turning to stare at the figure stopping the moonlight from entering his tiny bedroom. He squints at the silhouette as his eyes adjust. He can just make out simple details but it’s enough to know who it is.

“Na Jaemin” Donghyuck whispers.

Jaemin grins, a plastic coffee cup held loosely in his left hand, “Wanna go on an adventure?”  
________

“Did you hear about that new family that’s moving to town” Jisung says, slamming his lunch down next to Jeno at their lunch table.  
“Yeah, apparently they’re taking the house the Huang’s used to live in” Jeno speaks up.  
“Makes me miss Renjun” Jisung sighs sadly.  
“Yeah me too” Jeno says whistfully, “I wonder if he’ll ever come back”  
“Doubt it,” Donghyuck finally speaks up. “He had a chance to leave and he took it, as if he would want to come back here”  
Jeno looks across the table at him sadly, “I don’t know what you have against this town Hyuck, it’s a lovely place”  
“Whatever,” Donghyuck throws a grape in his mouth. “So who’s this new family?”  
“That’s the thing!” Jisung’s eyes light up the same way they always do when he has town gossip to share. “No one knows!”  
“What do you mean no one knows?” Jeno gasps  
“Exactly what I said” Jisung grins, “No one knows anything about them except they’re moving in tomorrow”

“An adventure?” Donghyuck raises an eyebrow  
“Yes an adventure Lee Donghyuck” the moonlight hits Jaemin’s eyes at just the right angle so they shine with mischief and glee.  
“What makes you think I want to go on an adventure with you?” Donghyuck challenges.  
Jaemin chuckles softly, “I’ve seen you around. You want out of this town, I can see it in you Donghyuck you’re not made for wasting your life away in a town like this.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean?”  
“It means,” Jaemin takes a sip from his coffee cup, “That you deserve to see the world Donghyuck, and i’m prepared to help you take that first leap.”

Donghyuck stares incredulously at the boy at his window, he blinks a few times before smiling softly to himself. 

“Let me get changed”

_________

“Their last name is Na, and they have a son who’s your age” Jisung picks at the grass in front of him ripping out a few blades here and there.  
“Does the son have a name?” Jeno asks, lying back with his eyes closed.  
“Didn’t say” Jisung pulls out another blade of grass, “They don’t seem to be the talkative type”  
“They won’t survive long here then” Jeno chuckles.  
“My mum keeps saying she’ll ‘break them down eventually’ whatever that means” Jisung shakes his head.  
“It probably means she’s going to bake them brownies as a housewarming present” Donghyuck chuckles as he weaves daisies together.  
Jisung sighs, “She already made cookies and took them over earlier that’s how we know their last name.”  
“Damn, you weren’t kidding when you said they weren’t talkative huh” Jeno smiles  
“It’ll be lemonade next then” Donghyuck says as he picks another daisy.  
“hmm?” Jisung glances up from his grass  
“Your mum will be taking them lemonade next” Donghyuck laughs  
Jeno laughs as jisung throws grass at his friend, “She’s just trying to be friendly!”  
“Nosey more like!” Donghyuck laughs again, leaning left to avoid another clump of grass being thrown his way. “Careful!You’re gonna make me break this chain!”

__________

“Come on Donghyuck it’s not that high!” Jaemin half calls-half whispers up from Donghyuck’s driveway  
“Easy for you to say! You’re already on the ground!” Donghyuck hisses back.  
Jaemin chuckles as he watches the boy in front of him drop the final remaining feet onto the concrete.  
“Okay! My car’s parked across the street” Jaemin motions for Donghyuck to follow him.  
“You have a car?” Donghyuck asks as he climbs into the passenger seat.  
“Well I’ve stolen my dad’s for the night but let’s just say it’s mine, makes me sound cool or something” Jaemin grins as he starts up the engine.  
“Where are we going?”  
“You’ll see”  
“Y’know Jaemin if they find my body in the morning you’re going to be one of the first suspects”  
Jaemin laughs at that, “oh? How come?”  
“The people in this town don’t really trust you.” Donghyuck looks across at Jaemin who’s eyes remain solely fixed on the road ahead.  
“Well that’s a little hurtful” He pouts slightly.  
Donghyuck giggles, “It’s just because they don’t know you, they’re used to knowing everything about everyone and now you guys move in and barely give anything away.... They don’t like that, you know?”  
Jaemin glances at Donghyuck sadly. He opens his mouth to say something, but closes it again. The two boys fall into a comfortable silence as Jaemin drives them away from the dimly lit village. 

_________

“As I’m sure most of you know, this is Na Jaemin. He’ll be joining us here at this school, I hope you’ll all make him feel welcome?”  
The class stares in a mixture of awe and bewilderment as mystery boy Na Jaemin stands before them. Black bag pack hanging from one shoulder, wearing a simple grey t-shirt and black jeans.  
“There’s a spare seat next to Mina over there why don’t you sit there?” The teacher smiles at Jaemin, “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind showing you around once class is over?”  
The girl shakes her head and smiles, moving her bag from the chair beside her so to make space for Jaemin to sit.  
“Actually i’ll just sit in that chair in the back if that’s okay?” Jasmin phrases it like a question, but he doesn’t wait for an answer as he begins to make his way towards his chosen seat.  
On his way he catches Donghyuck’s eye, he smirks a little before continuing past him and taking a seat. Three rows back, one seat right.

___________

“We’re here” Jaemin kills the engine.  
“Where is here exactly?” Donghyuck asks  
“You’ll see” Jaemin grins, rolling down the his front window.  
He winks at the boy in his passenger seat before sliding his way out of it and onto the car roof.  
Donghyuck follows suit, albeit less gracefully.  
“I still don’t know where we are” Donghyuck says. His voice barely above a whisper, unwilling to break the peaceful silence of the surrounding darkness.  
Jaemin exhales softly, “look up”  
Donghyuck does, and the stars shine back at him brightly. They each twinkle with their own glow. Each star is different, some are closer than others, some are massive while others are tiny. Some may even conceal other stars within them. Some of the stars are newborns, young, full of life, gleaming brightly and demanding to be noticed. Others shimmer on their last legs, conserving energy for that one final blow where they will just suck in everything around them. Other stars will already be gone, and the two boys will be simply looking at its past. That’s the thing Donghyuck loves about looking at the stars, you’re looking at what was instead of what is. Donghyuck smiles up at the stars without even realising what he’s doing. Jaemin smiles at him, having not even bothered to glance towards the glittering sky when such a light sits in front of him, on the roof of his father’s stolen car.

_________

“He must get sad sometimes,” Jeno thinks aloud. “Sitting all alone like that everyday”  
“Like I said, not a talkative bunch” Jisung takes a glance across the school cafeteria towards the boy eating lunch alone.  
“He must like it that way,” Donghyuck picks another grape from his lunchbox. “I mean he’s turned down everyone who’s asked if he wants to join them”  
“Or maybe he’s waiting for a certain person to ask him...” Jeno muses  
“He’s new!” Jisung exclaims. “He can’t afford to be picky!”  
“Maybe he’s just not that into the whole town knowing his business” Donghyuck says, pulling another grape from the bunch.  
“I mean they knew what they were getting into when they moved here,” Jeno argues. “I mean you can’t expect a town like this not to be close with one another”  
“Maybe he’s not staying long and he doesn’t want to get attached” Jisung wonders.  
“Yeah, maybe...” Donghyuck trails off as he realises Jaemin is staring right back at him.

_____________

“Tell me something,” Jaemin begins. “Why’d you hate this town?”  
Donghyuck sighs, “wouldn’t you? If you’d stayed here your whole life?”  
“Jisung and Jeno don’t seem to hate it though?” Jaemin raises an eyebrow  
Donghyuck sighs, “Jisung likes knowing what’s going on, he probably gets it from his mum. And Jeno... well Jeno doesn’t like to mess with the way things are. He’ll probably move in three doors down from his parents and never leave this town.”  
Jaemin whistles, “still doesn’t explain why you hate it so much”  
“I don’t like the way I see everyone doing the same things everyday. I don’t like the way we’re all forced to get on with each other and I really don’t like the way everyone knows your business all the time,” Donghyuck explains.  
“You sound like someone with something to hide,” Jaemin grins  
“I wouldn’t say we have something to hide,” Donghyuck trails off  
“But..?” Jaemin nudges.  
A shiver runs through Donghyuck’s whole body, “but nothing I don’t wanna talk about it”  
Jaemin shrugs, “fair enough” before moving to swing himself back into the car, “come on! we have to continue on our little adventure”  
Donghyuck rolls his eyes but smiles as clambers back into the passenger seat.

__________

“Donghyuck? What did you get for number 3?”  
Donghyuck flinches at the sound of his name and glances up from his drawing to look at his teacher, who’s waiting expectantly. Chalk in hand preparing to write the solution.  
“Sorry, which question?” Donghyuck hurriedly flicks back a few pages.  
The teacher sighs. “Three, did you even do the homework?”  
“Yeah, yeah I did it’s just here uhm..” Donghyuck trails off realising that he hasn’t actually answered any of the questions.  
“Well?” The teacher says expectantly.  
Donghyuck takes a deep breath, looking at the equation on the blackboard. “So you multiply both sides by 3-“  
His teacher begins to scribble the solution Donghyuck dictates onto the board. The gears in Donghyuck’s brain are spinning at an alarming rate, his mind working at overdrive to solve this stupid equation. He should’ve just said he hadn’t done it, but instead his pride had gripped him and forced him to solve it on the spot. If only he didn’t live in this stupid town. Donghyuck not doing his math homework might not be big news, but the rumour mill had been slow in town lately. The Na family weren’t big news anymore, they had nothing to share and seemingly nothing to hide. Donghyuck’s family on the other hand, well, they had their fair share experiences with town gossip and Donghyuck didn’t want another storm to brew from a stupid maths class.  
“- and you should end up with x equal to 6.25?” Donghyuck finishes.  
The teacher double underlined the final answer, “correct. Interesting method, but it works none the less.”  
Donghyuck grins to himself, and, at the back of the classroom, Na Jaemin grins along with him.

____________

“Where are we going this time?” Donghyuck drums his fingers on the car door.  
“You’ll see!” Jaemin turns to glance at Donghyuck, “stop asking”  
“Sorry if I’m a little nervous to be taken to an unknown location with someone a barely know!” Donghyuck holds up his hands.  
“Barely know!” Jaemin cries out with mock hurt. “We’ve been classmates for a while now.”  
“Jaemin, like i said people in this town don’t trust you. Classmates might mean something where you lived before but here it doesn’t mean anything, especially when your life story isn’t known to the population”  
“Being classmates doesn’t mean anything to you!?” Jaemin glances at Donghyuck in shock.  
“Think of it this way, you know that Mina girl you nearly sat next to on your first day? Well I know that she wants to be an archaeologist. Her parents got married very young and have a 3 year age gap between them. They own the little red shop on the corner but it’s their two sons that work in there, the younger one hopes to take over the business someday while the older one is unsure of what he wants to do but he knows he wants to work with animals. Meanwhile I know your name is Na Jaemin, you’re 18 years old, and you sit behind me in class” Donghyuck explains.  
“i’m sure you know more about me than that,” Jaemin smirks  
“No, I really don’t. You aren’t exactly talkative,”  
“I’m talking right now aren’t I?”  
“Yeah but we’re not talking about you! or your family, your goals, aspirations, whatever you know?”  
“Interesting,” Jaemin’s eyes get that glint of mischief that Donghyuck finds so enticing before speaking again. “Well if you wanted to know, all you had to do was ask.” 

_________

“I thought you said you hadn’t done the maths homework! We were supposed to be in this together!” Jeno complains, sitting himself on Donghyuck’s desk, apple in hand.  
“I hadn’t”  
“You what??” Jeno’s eyes widen. “You mean, you solved that bullshit equation on the spot!?”  
“Something like that.” Donghyuck looks down at his lap, shy smile creeping across his lips.  
“Jesus Hyuckie, you’re something else” Jeno takes a bite out of his apple.  
Donghyuck inhales, ready to change topic when Jisung comes crashing into the classroom.  
“You two!” He half runs half bounces over to his two best friends. “Guess what!”  
“What?” Jeno rolls his eyes, uninterested.  
Jisung pouts, “I said, Guess!”  
“My brain is literally soup right now Jisung can’t you just tell us?”  
“You guys are no fun anymore” Jisung‘s tone is level but his slim body shakes with excitement, “you know that old barn house up by the pub?”  
Donghyuck and Jeno look at each other, and then back to Jisung; “Yeah, what about it?”  
“Well, rumour has it Yukhei’s throwing a party in it tonight!”  
“Okay, and?” Donghyuck sighs, knowing exactly where this is going.  
“We’re going, no objections! I need this.” 

_____________

“Okay, here we are!” Jaemin pulls the keys out of the ignition.  
“Back on the roof?” Donghyuck grins.  
“Better!” Jaemin winks and opens his car door.  
Donghyuck follows suit and soon the two boys are balanced on a rock by the riverbank, giggling under the moonlight.  
“No okay so listen right-“ Donghyuck laughs again, “and then Renjun, he literally throws - like you know those big wooden spoons you get? one of them - like Right At Him! I’ve never seen Mark so angry in my life! It hit him like right between the eyes, Jeno thought he might have a concussion.”  
Jaemin grins, “Renjun sure seems like a character.”  
“You would’ve liked him, and Mark too honestly...” Donghyuck trails off.  
“Where’d they go?”  
“Renjun moved to Beijing I think? His dad got a promotion.”  
“And Mark?”  
“Mark? Well he uhm...” Donghyuck trails off, “I don’t know how to word this.”  
“We’ve got all the time in the world,” Jaemin looks up at the glistening night sky. “Take all you need”

___________

“In a circle guys let’s go!” Yukhei calls out to the party goers within earshot. He places a bottle in the middle of the newly formed circle,“Shots if you don’t answer the question!”  
A boy opposite Donghyuck leans forward to open the bottle and smell it, he flinches away. “Yukhei, bro, that shits like paint thinner.”  
“Exactly,” Yukhei grins at his current victims, “Befter answer the questions!”  
Questions are fired across the circle, some are fairly innocent ‘have you ever liked anyone in this barn?’, others take on sexual or deep emotional tones.  
The bottle is half empty by the time Donghyuck’s turn comes round, many people opting to suffer the cheap, shitty vodka than tell the whole barn their sex lives.  
“Okay, Donghyuck!” Kim Jungwoo, a boy who lives at the end of Donghyuck’s street pipes up, “Have you ever kissed anyone?”  
“Yeah,” Donghyuck replies simply.  
Complaints are thrown across at Jungwoo, who simply shrugs in defence.  
“Okay, okay I have a better one!” Jung Jaehyun, from the year above, says from Donghyuck’s left. “What really happened with Mark Lee?”  
The circle goes quiet, Jisung and Jeno look at Donghyuck with a mixture of fear and sympathy, Donghyuck drinks.

___________

The sound of the river fills the silence that the two boys have fallen into, until Donghyuck breaks it: “Okay so, Mark lee”  
Jaemin looks up from the river to show Donghyuck he’s listening.  
“Well, he’s like, my half brother but we all said he was my cousin because that brought less ‘shame’ to the family or whatever”  
Jaemin raises an eyebrow.  
“Well, there’s less than a year between us, and shotgun weddings aren’t exactly looked upon nicely in this town” Donghyuck looks down at his reflection in the river, watching the ripples disturb his image before continuing. “I guess that whole ‘illegitimate child’ thing hurt him more than we thought, and I guess making him lie about his identity didn’t help.”  
Donghyuck takes a deep, shaky breath. The right hand side of his mouth lifts in a half smile as he continues.  
“And then one night, he just got up and left. I don’t know how or when, we went upstairs, he called me a prick and flicked my forehead and then we went to bed.” Donghyuck tilts his head back to prevent the tears from falling. “And we woke up and he was gone.”

Jaemin exhales, as if he’s been holding it in, but doesn’t respond. What could he possibly say? The river flows beneath his swinging legs, his left hand rests centimetres from Donghyuck’s. If only he was bold enough to take it, to intertwine their fingers and tell Donghyuck he would be alright. If only he could just kiss Donghyuck right now, under the diamond sky. If only he weren’t a coward.

“I wonder if we’re looking at the stars that watched Mark go,” Donghyuck whispers.  
Jaemin looks up, “For some of them, we probably are”

__________

“Hey, Hyuckie you okay?” Jeno sits on the bottom of Donhyuck’s bed, schoolbag abandoned on the floor.  
“Yeah, I just think I drank too much last night” Donghyuck mumbles.  
“Are you sure your not upset about, you know, Jaehyun’s question?”  
Donghyuck inhales sharply, “Is Jisung not coming?”  
Jeno frowns sadly, “He’s trapped downstairs with your mum, I think she’s making soup?”  
Donghyuck nods and lies back down to look at his ceiling.  
“Avoiding it won’t make the feelings go away” Jeno sighs, resting a hand on Donghyuck’s calf. “And you know Jisung isn’t going to shut up until he knows you’re okay.”  
Donghyuck smiles a little at the thought of his younger friend, “sweet kid.”  
Jeno smiles a little too, “He really is, awful big heart for such a weedy body”  
Donghyuck kicks him through the covers, “Hey! that’s my baby you’re talking about.”  
Jeno laughs, “I never said being weedy was a bad thing!”  
“It was implied.”  
“In fairness he’s a little shit sometimes”  
“Hey! stop talking about me!” Jisung says from the doorway, three steaming bowls balanced precariously on a tray in his hands, schoolbag still hanging off his shoulders.  
“Oh my god you’re going to drop those!” Jeno leaps to his feet to take the tray from Jisung, setting it on Donghyuck’s desk.  
“We okay Hyuck?” Jisung practically leaps onto his bed, snuggling his legs under the covers opposite Donghyuck.  
“Yeah, I just couldn’t face school. You know, town rumour mill”  
A sad smile coats Jisung’s face, “They weren’t saying anything new, just that you wouldn’t talk about it”  
“They’ve got that right” Donghyuck snorts, sitting up to make grabby hands at the bowl of soup in Jeno’s hands.  
“They’ll find something else to talk about in a day or two, nobody’s that interested since it’s not new information” Jeno hands Donghyuck the bowl and a spoon. He then does the same for Jisung.  
“Yeah, you cant spin a tale from silence,” Jisung grins. “So please please PLEASE come to school tomorrow Jeno is not nearly as much fun to hang out with.”  
“Fuck off rat” Jeno fakes throwing his spoon.  
“See! No fun!”  
Donghyuck smiles fondly at his best friends as they bicker back and forth. With them at his side, facing school gossip doesn’t seem quite so terrifying. With them by his side, Donghyuck can do absolutely anything.

___________

“Do you believe in soulmates?” Jaemin asks, pulling at the moss in the cracks in the rock.  
“Soulmates?” Donghyuck raises an eyebrow, “like the whole ‘one perfect person for everyone, only one chance’ thing”  
“Yeah, do you think they exist?”  
Donghyuck sighs, “I don’t know, I think some people just click y’know? Like as best friends or lovers or even enemies, I don’t know if I would call it ‘soulmates’ though”  
“Do you believe that these kind of relationships never break?”  
“I think if you really click with someone that relationship is special, even if it only lasts ten minutes, it changes you as a person. Like you can be best friends with someone for five years and still have a more meaningful encounter with someone you only know for the ten minutes you spend at the bus stop together. Like that.”  
Jaemin whistles, “Profound”  
“Oh shut up,” Donghyuck nudges him with his shoulder. “What about you?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Do you believe in soulmates?”  
“Yeah, yeah I do,” Jaemin meets Donghyuck’s eyes through his broken reflection in the river. “I also believe that true soulmates will always find their way back to each other, no matter what”  
Donghyuck snorts, “I never knew you were such a romantic.”  
“I’m inspired by the thought of destiny”  
“I don’t believe anything is predestined”  
“Oh? How so?”  
“I prefer to think I’m making my own way in the world, instead of following a path someone has lasted out for me”  
“Ah but Donghyuck!” Jaemin turns to meet Donghyuck’s real eyes. “What if making your own way IS your path, there’s a path there but it twists are turns and there’s forks and crossroads. What if you get to pick your own predestined destiny?”  
“Then that’s not predestined is it?”  
“It always depends on how you interpret the words Lee Donghyuck, that’s how people still dared to dream they could make it to heaven when they were told they were destined for hell.”  
“You really are quite the romantic aren’t you, Na Jaemin?”  
Jaemin stares into the other boy’s eyes for a few seconds more before looking up to the moon.  
“We should get back, we wouldn’t want to be seen by the neighbours!”

___________

“Donghyuck’s back!” choruses through the school in a series of poorly concealed whispers and glances. Donghyuck takes his seat, ignoring the obvious glances from his classmates. Those who were in the barn have told the story in as many versions as possible. That Donghyuck sat in silence before taking the drink, that he drank more than he needed to, that he looked like he might cry, that he looked angry, regretful, pained and all other forms of emotion that fit whichever narrative they were currently calling the truth. Was it that Donghyuck’s parents were abusive? Was it that Mark’s real parents had come back for him? Was it that Mark hated the town the same way Donghyuck does and he ran? Will Donghyuck vanish next? 

The teacher was yet to arrive. Groups of friends gossiped in hushed circles, as if that would hide what they were discussing. Jeno sat on Donghyuck’s desk, not saying a word. And at the back of the classroom, Jaemin leaned his head on his hand and watched as Donghyuck pretended he wasn’t hurt. As Donghyuck pretended he didn’t just want to get up and go, run out of the classroom, out of town. Just to be somewhere else, anywhere else. He smiled to himself as he remembered the little stream in the field a few miles down the road. He had a plan for tonight.

___________

“Can you get back in the window okay? Or do you want a boost?” Jaemin says, hand hovering over he seatbelt button.  
“I think I’ve got it, thanks though!” Donghyuck smiles sincerely as he opens the car door and climbs out.  
“See you around Jaemin” He waves goodbye.  
“Yeah, see you around Donghyuck!” Jaemin calls as Donghyuck slams the door shut. 

Donghyuck listens to Jaemin’s car engine fade into the distance as he fumbles back into his bedroom. He kicks his shoes off and glided into bed, falling asleep still fully dressed.

Maybe this is why his eyes snap open at 7AM, his body stiff and uncomfortable. The only proof of last night being a reality was the fact he was still dressed. Ripping off his jeans and t-shirt he scrambled across the landing and into the shower.  
“Donghyuck? You’re a little late sweetie!” His mother’s voice floats up the stairs as the hot water hits his back and runs through his hair. One single thought rushing through his mind: ‘I think I like Na Jaemin.’

“Shit,” Donghyuck whispers to himself. “I totally do.”  
He remembers how he had almost kissed Jaemin by the river, almost held his hand. How Jaemin talked about soulmates and destiny like it was a code.  
“Oh my god, does he like me back?” Donghyuck’s face heats up, he turns the water to cold but his face remains flushed.  
“This is so embarrassing” he mumbles as he steps out of the shower. “I need to talk to him.”

Donghyuck’s never been so sure of anything in his life, he HAS to talk to Jaemin, he needs to know if his feelings are returned. He desperately just wants to talk to him again. He dries himself hurriedly and rushes back into his bedroom to get dressed. Scrambling to find a pair of socks and dry his hair at the same time. Once dressed he practically falls down the stairs, crashing into the kitchen in search of the house keys he had launched onto the counter the night before.  
“What’s got you in such a rush?” His mother questions as she tosses his keys to him. “It’s only half 7 you’ve got half an hour.”  
“I’ve got something to do before school starts.” Donghyuck says through the single piece of toast he’s managed to wrangle from his father’s breakfast plate.  
“Don’t talk with your mouth full!” His mother scolds, but her tone is soft and warm.  
“Sorry! Gotta run! I’ll see you later!” Donghyuck calls as he leaves the house. He sets off down the street in the direction of the Na family home, he needs to get this off his chest immediately or he’s not sure he’ll have the courage. His elderly neighbours look shocked to see him half an hour earlier than usual, but they wave anyway. Donghyuck hates that they know his schedule, but waves back with a smile. Maybe this town will be more bearable with someone as spontaneous as Jaemin by his side. He picks up the pace as he gets closer, he can see their house at the end of the street now. He hasn’t planned what he’s going to say, he’s hoping it’ll just come to him when Jaemin answers the door. 

He’s here. It’s now or never. Donghyuck ascends the porch steps, the old wood creaking beneath his feet as his heartbeat accelerates. He can hear the blood roaring in his ears, he prays to a God he doesn’t believe in that his face isn’t red. And he knocks on the door. 

Nobody answers. He waits, and knocks again, and again, and again. “That’s.... weird?” Donghyuck steps back from the door a little, his courage unraveling.  
“Donghyuck? What are you doing!?” A voice behind him calls, Donghyuck whirls round, wishing, hoping, praying for it to be Jaemin.

It’s Yukhei, “You okay?” He asks again, coming to a stop at the foot of Jaemin’s steps.  
“Yeah, uhm, I’m looking for Jaemin? Have you seen him?” Donghyuck’s ears are burning, he can feel it. God Yukhei better keep this a secret.  
Yukhei raises a quizzical eyebrow, “Didn’t you hear? Literally everyone was talking about it yesterday.”  
Donghyuck’s heart drops from his ears to beneath his feet, dread creeping in where nervous excitement used to be. He fights against everything to keep his voice from breaking while he asks the question he dreads the answer of.  
“Hear what?”  
Yukhei looks at him with pitty and runs a hand through his hair, “Jaemin, well the whole Na family really but Jaemin...” He trails off.  
Donghyuck clenches his fists, “spit it out Yukhei”. His voice finally cracking. He knows what’s coming, he’d guessed as much, but he needs to hear Yukhei say it:

“They moved out early this morning. They’re gone Donghyuck.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote the ending scenes at like 5am so im really sorry if they seem rushed <33
> 
> my twitter is @qianberries if you wanna follow me there n tell me what you thought
> 
> anyways thanks for reading!!!


End file.
